Biography of Claude Champion de Crespigny 1873-1910

New York Times 19 May 1910. 19th May 1910. DE CRESPIGNY A SUICIDE.

British Officer Who Recently Played Polo in America Self-Slain.

Special Cable to the New York Trans.

LONDON, May 18. Capt. Claude Champion De Crespigny [deceased]; D. S. O., who was recently in New. York, where he had many friends, was found dead today, by the roadside at Kingscliffe, Northamptonshire. He was shot through the head, and a revolver was in his hand.

Capt. Champion De Crespigny arrived at Kingscliffe Station from London at 10:30 last night and set oùt to walk In the direction of Apethorpe Hall, the residence of Leonard Brassey [aged 40] and Lady Violet Brassey [aged 38], where he had been an occasional visitor. At 5 o’clock this morning a workman came across his body.

The dead officer was the eldest son and heir of Sir Claude Champion De Crespigny, the well-KInown sportsman, of whom ft has been said that he can ‘hunt like a hound, swim like a fish, run like à hare, and box like Jeffries.

Capt. Champion De Crespigny was in the Second Life Guards.

Capt. Claude Champion De Crespigny wvas a member of the Hurlingsham Club polo team that recently visited the United States.

The Captain was 37 years of age. He served with the British Army in South Africa in 1899 and 1900, and with the West African frontier force in 1903. He wass twice wounded, and was twice recommended by his commanding officers for the Victoria Cross because of deeds of conspicuous gallantry.

Capt. Champion De Crespigny was made a member of the Distinguished Service Order in 1900, and in that year became an aid de camp to the Viceroy of India, returning to England in 1002. He was educated at Eon, and entered the army in 1895.

The Champion De Crespignys are a very old Norman family who fought in the first crusade under St. Louis and took the name "Champion"' from ths circumstance that the head of the family was hereditary champion of the Dukes of Normandy and Brittany.

Claude Chammplon De Crespigny, Escuier, Sieur De Crespigny, was an officer of high rank in the French army, but after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes went with all his family to England, where he was received by the Pierponts, being alllied bv marriage with that noble house. He obtained a Colonel’s commission in the Englisn army. His great-grandson was created a baronet In 1800 after receiving the Prince Regent at his home, Champion Lodge.

The present baronet, Sir Ciaude Champion De Chespigny, has five sons, each of whom is named Claude. Capt. De Crespigny, who has committed suicide, bore no other Christian name, while each of the others has two Christian names. The heir is now [his half-brother] Claude Raoul Champion De Crespigny [aged 32], an officer of the Grenadier Guards.

New York Times 20 May 1910. Suicide Had Been Named as Correspondent in a Divorce Suit. 20th May 1910.

RESPONDENT AN AMERICAN

Story Hushed Up at Inquest on British Captain, and Verdict of Suicide. While Temporarily Insane ls Returned.

Special Cable to the NEW YORK TIMES.

LONDON, May 19. Behind the death of Capt. Claude Champion De Crespigny [deceased], who committed suicide yesterday, is a story of infatuation for a prominent young American woman, who. since her marrriage two years ago, has been living here, where she is well known and extremely popular.

For some time past there had been a good deal of gossip concerning the evident strong attachment between the unfortunate officer and the young woman in question, the culmination being reached a few days since, when Capt. Champion De Crespigny is understood to have been served with papers in a divorce suit brought by the husband of the woman, in which Capt. De Crespigny was named as co-respondent. The latter was a man of highly strung. temperament and took the matter very much to heart, and it is supposed that he believed the only possible chance .to save the woman’s name and honor was to commit suicide.

There was somè belief that the whole story would come out at the inquest, which was held to-night at Kingscliffe, but this was not the case. The jury's verdict was that the deceased shot himself while temporarily insane.

A physician testified that the Captain had suffered from infiuenza, which was very likely a cause of mental derangement.

Sir Claude Champion De Crespigny [aged 63], the father, said his son had suffered many severe falls in steeplechasing and polo, which might have caused temporary insanity. So far as he knew his son had nothing to trouble him. There had been no quarrels or family discord.

The Coroner, in summing up, said he felt confident that the shooting was a result of temporary derangement, explainable by illness, and especially by the deceased’s influenza, falls, and wounds.